Have Yourself a Shippy Little Christmas
by ShoeQueen
Summary: Daniel and Teal'c conspire to give Jack and Sam a holiday together. Things get naughty and nice. Shippity, ship, ship.
1. We'll conspire

**Disclaimer: Not my characters. Wish they were.**

**A/N: I changed the title because it made me smile.  
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**A/N: It seems the holiday spirit has swept me away after spending many hours at Shipmas over on GW. :)**

**This is not been beta'd, so all mistakes are strictly my own. Reviews appreciated.**

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The commissary was slowly emptying and the excited chatter full of holiday plans followed the airmen out. The Christmas holidays were starting tomorrow and after this shift, the SGC would be all but abandoned, except for those lucky few who got to sit and watch the 'gate. Major Samantha Carter had volunteered to work, but General Hammond had told her that, barring a full-blown Goa'uld attack, she not to set even one foot inside Cheyenne Mountain after today. He'd even told her he'd have her ID temporarily shut down if he had to, so she had no choice but to do something other than work. She sighed heavily, staring morosely down at her blue Jell-O. Christmas was just four days away and she had no idea what she was going to do with herself.

"Hey, Sam. What's up?" Dr. Daniel Jackson's voice brought her out of her reverie. He smiled and sat down opposite her with a cup of coffee. Unless they were off world, Daniel was never without coffee. She thought he might own stock in Folgers.

She smiled blandly back. "Not much. You?"

"Just thinking," he said taking a sip of the still steaming liquid. He liked his coffee really hot and Sam thought it was a miracle he hadn't burned all his taste buds off by now. "What should we do for the holidays?"

"We? I thought you were going to Egypt to check out some artifacts that had been recently found." Sam hated to admit it, but she was jealous that Daniel had something to do.

Daniel shook his head. "No, not this year. I thought about it but makes me…sad. Egypt reminds me too much of Abydos and it's just too much for me right now. You know, the first year I spent on Abydos, I told them all about Christmas and we made an odd Christmas tree from sticks and cloth and I did sort of an imitation of Santa." He smiled at the memory. "The kids all thought it was great. Of course that could have been because I looked so ridiculous. And Sha're, she," he stopped and smiled sadly. They had had only one Christmas together before she'd been taken by Apophis and now the chance of any future holidays had been snatched away.

Sam reached across the table and placed a hand on top of Daniel's. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize."

Flapping his other hand in front of his face, as if to brush it off he smiled at her. "Thanks."

"Hellll..oooo, kids," Colonel Jack O'Neill said walking up to the table. He looked down at their hands with a dark expression. "Am I interrupting something?"

Sam quickly pulled her hand back and looked down at her Jell-O.

"No, not at all," Daniel said glancing between the two of them. "We were just…talking about Christmas and Sam was being…a good friend."

Jack looked at them skeptically. Daniel thought if looks could kill he'd have been drawn and quartered with his entrails burning about 5 seconds ago. "Uh huh." Jack paused looking at them both, his eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Mind if I join you, or should I give you two some privacy?" He tried to keep his voice light, but he was failing miserably.

Sam scooted her chair a little putting distance between them. "No, Sir. Join us." Her voice sounded slightly guilty and Daniel raised an eyebrow at that. Actually, no matter how hard he tried to raise only one, both still came up. He'd asked Teal'c to show him how he did that whole one eyebrow thing, but Teal'c had just lifted a single eyebrow and walked away looking amused. Or as amused as a Jaffa could look anyway.

Jack dropped down next to her and Sam tried not to take in too deep of a breath or she might moan and that would probably draw several suspicious glances. The mere scent of Jack O'Neill could dry her mouth out quicker than any of the desert planets they'd visited.

There was a tense silence. "Um, so, Jack," Daniel started, breaking uncomfortable feeling around them. "What are you doing for the holidays?"

Jack had been given the same command as Sam when it came to being at the Mountain over the holidays. He pushed the cake he'd brought with him around on the plate. He loved cake, but had suddenly lost his appetite. For cake! "I thought about heading up to my cabin. You know, just me, snow, beer, snow and snow. And did I mention snow?" He smiled lamely and forced a bite of cake into his mouth.

"Ahhh, sounds exciting," Daniel said. Jack was notorious for inviting them up to his cabin to fish, which no one except Jack seemed to enjoy.

"Well, you know me," Jack leaned back in his chair. "I like to live on the edge. What are you two doing?" The way he said 'you two' gave Daniel a chill.

"Nothing really," Sam said, trying not to sound too pathetic. "I guess I'll just hang out at home and…"

"Work?" Jack smirked. If there was one thing he knew for sure, it was that Samantha Carter couldn't NOT work. "Not smuggling any of your little doohickies out are you? You know after that last virus we brought back we're not allowed to take things home."

She shrugged. "No, Sir, but I guess I've got some things I could do. Um, actually, if you'll excuse me, there are some things I should take care of before I leave this afternoon." She grabbed her empty Jell-O cup and stood. "Oh, and if I don't see you before you leave, Sir, um, Merry Christmas." Her eyes never met his.

"You too, Carter, you too," Jack said softly. He watched her rapidly retreating form and tried not look as wretched as he felt. Watching Carter hold Daniel's hand had made him want to start throwing things. Mostly Daniel.

"Jaaack," Daniel called, snapping him out of his thoughts. "What was that all about?"

"What was what all about?"

"Well, I'm no anthropologist, or psychologist or anything, but that was, um, what was that?" Daniel was tired of watching this little game play out. Jack and Sam were his dear friends. Closer than friends. They were his family and they deserved some measure of happiness. Together they'd find it, if only the damn Air Force would let them. You couldn't govern how people felt. All the frat rules did was make for two very miserable officers, and Daniel, for one was damn tired of it.

Jack put another bite of cake in his mouth. It tasted like sawdust. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Daniel opened his mouth to speak when Teal'c sat down next to him with a tray that looked like it had enough food on it to feed half the base. "O'Neill. Daniel Jackson," he dipped his head by way of greeting.

"T. Good to see you," Jack said, happy for the distraction. "Just a light snack today?"

Teal'c gave him what passed for a grin. "Indeed, O'Neill. I am not feeling as hungry today as usual." He picked up his fork and took a bite mashed potatoes and gravy.

"Good thing," Jack said.

"So, Teal'c, what are your plans this Christmas?" Daniel asked. He had turned toward Teal'c, but his eyes stayed on Jack.

Teal'c swallowed. "I have been told of the tradition of watching holiday movies and eating something called fruit cake. I believe I will try that."

"Don't get too excited about that fruit cake, there T, it's not what you think. In fact, it's just about the only kind of cake I won't eat." Jack stood. He'd not eaten more than the two bites of the cake on his plate and looked down morosely at it. It seemed like such a waste. He never threw away cake. "I've got paperwork to catch up on. I'd better get to it. I'll catch you two later."

Teal'c turned to Daniel once Jack was out of hearing range. "I believe O'Neill is lying."

Daniel shrugged. "No, I'm sure he has lots of paperwork to catch up on."

Raising his eyebrow Teal'c threw Daniel a skeptical look. "Of that I have no doubt. However, when was the last time you saw O'Neill voluntarily do paperwork?"

He had a point. They sat quietly for a few minutes, Teal'c eating and Daniel sipping coffee. "Teal'c, what do you think about Jack and Sam?"

"I am very fond of both O'Neill and Major Carter, Daniel Jackson, as I am of you. Why do you ask?"

"Thanks. I appreciate that. I don't mean what do you think of Jack and Sam separately though, but together. You know, as in _together _together."

"I believe they are quite foolish in their endeavor to try to keep their feelings from one another," Teal'c said taking another huge bite of mashed potatoes.

Nodding in agreement, Daniel became quiet once again. "What can we do about it Teal'c?"

Teal'c regarded him for a moment, his head cocked to the side in the way that apparently indicated some deep thought. While Teal'c's loyalty to the SCG, and in particular Jack and General Hammond could not be questioned (well, there was that one time, but that was hardly his fault), the thoughts that ran through his head were still a mystery to most of them. Of course it didn't help that he barely spoke more than a few words at any given time. "I'm not certain there is anything we can do Daniel Jackson. The Tau'ri are a strange species when it comes to affection. You love your friends and family quite fiercely in my experience, yet you are often reluctant to show those feeling."

After spending a year on Abydos, where affection, love, and sex, were just part of life and there was no embarrassment involved, he understood what Teal'c meant. If he were an anthropologist, he might have to study up on that peculiarity. Maybe he'd ask Dr. Wilmer, he was an anthropologist and might be able to clue Daniel in on why that was. Or maybe it was just western cultures or maybe, maybe he should get back to the issue at hand. "No, there has to be something."

"You are an optimist, Daniel Jackson."

Daniel tossed out several thoughts as too ridiculous. Jack and Sam had already been stranded on a planet, hell several planets, alone and nothing came of that. Of course the circumstances were hardly ideal for romance. Maybe if they were on a tropical planet with friendly natives. That would involve getting them through the 'gate though and that would be a problem. Locking them together in a storage closet probably wouldn't do much for his own health once Jack got out. He was getting depressed and fast running out of situations that could resolve this whole mess, when, listening to the soft Christmas music playing over the commissary intercom system, it hit him. Who doesn't like Christmas? Well, probably Jack, but even he can't help but feel _something _under the right circumstances_._ Christmas was about love and in some ways even romance. All they had to do was _create_ the right circumstances. Right? He smiled and looked over at the now empty plate in front of his friend. "Teal'c, I've got an idea."

"I can hardly wait to hear it, Daniel Jackson."


	2. Plans

**Disclaimer: Standard "Not my characters, blah, blah, blah."**

**A/N: I'm hoping to have all this up before Christmas. Hope you like it. Reviews appreciated.**

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Daniel and Teal'c walked down the halls of the SGC, some of the doorways festooned with garland or small bunches of mistletoe. Teal'c still didn't understand the concept of kissing beneath poisoned berries, but the Tau'ri had many strange traditions he'd long ago given up trying to comprehend. Before they got to Sam's lab, Daniel turned to Teal'c and said in a quiet voice, "You know what to do, right?"

"Indeed, I do Daniel Jackson. You were quite thorough in your explanation."

Daniel decided not to comment on the implications of that sentence. He couldn't help it if he were thorough. He wanted to make sure people knew exactly what he meant, and if that meant he was a little verbose, well, that's just what it meant.

Sam was hunched over some machine or other poking and prodding at it when Daniel knocked on the door. "Hey, Sam, can we have a moment?"

Smiling, she put down the tool she was holding and turned toward the two men. "Sure, come on in."

Daniel and Teal'c stepped into the lab, which should have been spacious, but much like Daniel's office was crammed full of random things that they'd found off world and were trying to make sense of. Daniel motioned to Teal'c who softly shut the door behind them.

Sam looked at the door and then back at them. "Don't want to be overheard?"

"Um, no," Daniel said. She looked suspiciously from one to the other. "It's just that I'm worried. About Jack."

"Is there something wrong with the Colonel?" Sam asked trying to keep the fear from her voice. She'd seen Jack shot, tortured, beaten, stabbed and even dead a few times. It was enough to make her always feel a bit on edge where he was concerned. The time he spent in the infirmary was legendary in the SCG. The time all of SG-1 spent in the infirmary was legendary, but especially the surly Colonel who hated it more than anyone and constantly tired to escape. Sam hated any of them being in the infirmary, but her heart refused to leave her throat when the Colonel was there.

"Colonel O'Neill is in excellent health, Major Carter. Do not concern yourself," Teal'c assured her, placing a hand on her shoulder. Sam was halfway out of her seat and hadn't realized it until Teal'c firmly pushed her back down.

"Oh, no, no, it's nothing like that," Daniel said, his eyes thanking Teal'c for his swift intervention. He hadn't meant to scare Sam. Good grief she and Jack needed to get all this mess out in the open before one of them cracked from the tension. "It's just that, well, you know how he is. He tries to act like nothing bothers him, but I'm pretty sure Christmas is hard on him. You know, with Charlie and all. I don't think it brings up very good memories and I worry about him being up at his cabin alone."

Sam sighed in both relief and resignation. "What do you think is going to happen, Daniel? If he's gotten through Christmas all these years, what makes this one any different?"

Damn, she was too smart. "Well, um, it's just that, you know, he's getting older and all, and…"

"Are you thinking he's too old for his job?" She asked defensively.

Teal'c, whose hand was still on her shoulder, turned her toward him. Daniel Jackson was making a mess of this. "I believe what Daniel Jackson is trying to say is that the older we get, the more we miss those we care about. O'Neill has been without a family for as long as I've known him. Since the Tau'ri place such a large emphasis on Christmas, it is likely that O'Neill feels the lack more keenly during your ritual celebrations."

Sam looked at Teal'c strangely. "I don't think I've ever heard you say that much at one time before."

"It is not usually necessary," he replied.

Daniel shook his head. "Right. Teal'c is exactly right. Jack needs to be with people who…care about him. Spending the holidays brooding is not going to be good for him, or us once we're back on full duty in a few weeks. You know how he gets."

She did know. When he was down, the Colonel tended to be a little sharper in his speech, especially when it came to Daniel and his very, very long-winded explanations of just about everything. Jack even got more tense than usual with her when she started her "technobabble," as he called it. It was worse around the holidays. She knew what it was like to be lonely. Mark and his wife had welcomed her back into their lives several years ago and gave her a standing invitation for the holidays, but she always felt a bit like an outsider. She couldn't exactly talk about work and the kids were getting older now, so there was little for her to do but sit back and watch them be a family. She wondered what it would be like to have a family of her own. Would she bake cookies while her husband and children decorated a tree? Would they be woken up at a ridiculously early hour on Christmas morning by children who were too excited to sleep any longer? She briefly pictured Jack looking at her through sleep hazed eyes and telling her it was no use trying to go back to sleep, there were presents to open. Jack? Sam shook her head to clear the image. Unfortunately, it was far too easy to picture him that role.

"So, what do you think we should do? It's not like we can force him to stay here and spend time with us," Sam said. She'd considered asking Colonel O'Neill over to dinner, but discarded it as a spectacularly bad idea. Not that she expected anything would happen other than perhaps break her heart just a little more.

Daniel smiled. "No, of course we can't. But!" With Daniel there was always a but. "But, we can go to him. It's not like he'll toss us out if we show up on his doorstep, is it?"

"You mean, just go there and not tell him?" She shook her head "I don't think that's wise Daniel." There was no way she was going to just knock on the door of Jack's cabin and say 'surprise.'"

Sam looked at Teal'c. He didn't seem as shocked by this as she did. "I believe Daniel Jackson's idea has great merit."

"See, Sam! Teal'c agrees. I've made all the arrangements. We fly the day after tomorrow."

"Wait, what?"

Daniel pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket. "I've made our reservations. We fly tomorrow. Here's your confirmation information." He slapped the paper on her desk.

Opening it, Sam found a reservation to Minneapolis with her name on it. "When did you do this?" She asked.

"A few minutes ago," he said dismissively.

Sam looked back down at the paper in her hand. Should she do this? Could she do this? It wasn't exactly normal to spend your holiday vacation with your CO at his cabin. In fact, the Air Force would probably frown on it. Though it was not as if they'd be alone. Daniel and Teal'c would be there, so it would all be perfectly innocent. Except in her mind. She thought again of Jack looking at her with sleepy eyes and felt a clinch in her gut. "Guys, I don't know about his."

"It's a done deal, Sam. Tickets are bought and paid for and if you don't go, they'll just be wasted."

"Daniel, I just," she shrugged not knowing what to say. Daniel could see both apprehension and excitement in her eyes. She needed to be with Jack as much as he needed to be with her.

"Don't worry about it, just get on the plane."

She looked down at her ticket. "So, are you guys sitting with me?" It looked like they were doing this, so she might as well get used to the idea.

"Um, well, actually, Teal'c and I are not on the same flight as you, Sam," Daniel said smiling blandly. "We um, couldn't get three seats on the same flight, so we're booked on a later flight. Yours is a direct flight, but we have to go by way of Chicago. We won't be too far behind you though. Only a couple of hours."

Sam did not like that at all. What was she supposed to do, show up alone? Oh, no, that was not going to happen. "Why don't we switch flights Daniel? You can take mine and I'll fly with Teal'c."

Daniel shook his head. "These tickets are not changeable. You know how they are these days about things like that, and there are no more flights until after Christmas."

"Oh," was all she could think to say. "Okay, then. I guess I can wait for you at the airport and we can rent a car to drive out together."

"That is an acceptable plan, Major Carter," Teal'c said. "And now, Daniel Jackson and I will leave you to your work." He bowed his head slightly and pushed Daniel through the door in front of him.

Daniel broke free though and poked his head back in the door. "Don't leave packing to the last minute. You have an early flight. Call me before your flight."


	3. Here we go

**Disclaimer: Not my characters. You knew that though.**

**A/N: Thanks for reading. This has not been beta'd so mistakes are my own.**

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Sam stared out the window as the ground came closer and cities that had looked like a child's toy became larger and larger. She'd been apprehensive the entire flight. They'd sat on the runway for about 20 minutes while the plane was deiced. Part of her hoped her flight would get grounded and another part of her was terrified it would. Talk about confused. She'd spoken to Daniel before boarding and questioned again if this was a good idea. He assured her Jack would be happy for the company. She wasn't sure Daniel knew the Colonel as well as he thought he did. Colonel O'Neill was an intensely private person in many respects. He'd had a life not many could claim to understand and Sam knew that much of it was the stuff of nightmares. While the team was as close as a family, there were some subjects even they weren't allowed to broach. She wasn't so sure the holidays weren't one of those subjects.

After landing and turning back on her phone, Sam saw she had a voice mail. Clicking on the mail box number, she heard Daniel's familiar voice. "Um, hi, Sam. It's Daniel, um obviously. Teal'c and I are still in Colorado and it looks like we're not getting out until some time tonight. You should go ahead up to Jack's place. I sent an email to the rental company with the directions. They'll have a car waiting for you when you land. Tell Jack we said hi and that, um, we'll try to be there as soon as possible. I guess, well, I guess I'll talk to you later. Drive carefully."

Sam ended the call and had the urge to bang her head on the closest wall. She wasn't supposed to be doing this alone! They were a team. They were going to spend Christmas as a team. She couldn't just show up by herself. What would the Colonel think? She stared at all the people bustling around her, meeting family and friends, hugging and kissing their hellos and chatting happily about the upcoming holiday. It was thoroughly depressing. She stood watching bag spin around on the carousel waiting for her small case to come along when a thought hit her. She could just go home! She could hop on a plane right back to Colorado and the Colonel would never know she'd even been in Minnesota. Yes, that was it. She picked up the small gray case when it finally came down the shoot and headed for ticketing when another thought hit her. What about when Daniel and Teal'c showed up? They would tell O'Neill that she was supposed to be there and he would know that she had chickened out. Damn it.

Turning away from ticketing, Sam headed for the car rental company Daniel had told her about. They had a small SUV waiting for her with directions already programmed into the GPS. When she got to the town closest to the cabin though, she'd have to go off a map, as the Colonel's cabin apparently wasn't GPS worthy.

Sam drove from the airport parking lot into the blowing snow and turned on the radio. It seemed they were playing Christmas songs and Christmas songs only, so she hummed or occasionally sang along as the miles slid by. She tried not to think about what she would say when she arrived or what it would be like to be alone with him until Daniel and Teal'c showed up. She would just have to make the best of it. She could think of many, many ways to make the best of some alone time with the Colonel, but unfortunately every one of those ideas would land her at a court marshall. A smile played across her face and she wondered if it might not be worth it. A picture of the Colonels lips played across her brain. She wondered what it would feel like to have them skim down the side of her neck while his hands slid beneath her shirt. Her eyes glazed over momentarily before she snapped them back to the road. _Stop daydreaming_, she told herself. _It's snowing like mad and you're going to end up on the side of the road if you don't pay attention. _To distract herself from thoughts of the Colonels lips and other attributes she started working out a new program to improve the speed of the dialing program. Before she realized it, she had come to the town and the end of her GPS navigation. A small grocery on the main street drew her attention and she thought it would be nice to not show up empty handed. The fact that it would give her a few more minutes before facing the Colonel had absolutely nothing to do with it. Parking her rental, she opened the door and headed out into the cold. Twenty short minutes later she was back on the road and driving as slowly as possible toward the cabin, cursing Daniel and his infernal plans.

Turning down a small lane, Sam saw lights in the distance. The rustic cabin with smoke coming out of the chimney made an idealist picture. It fit Colonel O'Neill perfectly. It was warm and homey looking with just the right amount of scruffiness. She was sure there must be part of it that radiated 'kiss my ass' somewhere under all the snow.

The lane ended and there was nothing else to do but get out unless she planned to sit there until the others arrived. Clearly that was not an option. Screwing up her courage, she grabbed the grocery bags and a small box and walked to the door. She took a deep breath and smelled the happy scents of snow and pine and wood smoke. She could hear strains of music coming from inside. Swallowing hard she lifted her hand toward the door.

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Jack was staring out the glass doors looking over his small lake, nursing a beer. He had been thinking about his team and what they were doing at that moment. _Oh, be honest with yourself at least Jack, _hethought. _You were thinking about Carter_. He'd been playing over and over the scene in the commissary with her hand on top of Daniel's. He envied Daniel with an intensity that bordered on insanity for being able to touch Carter, even in simple friendship, without it being fodder for gossip. He was pondering what it would feel like to touch her in ways other than friendship when he heard a rap on the door. _What the hell?_ Images of silky skin evaporated in a wave of irritation. It had better not be another lost tourist looking for the White Swan Bed and Breakfast, which was 30 miles on the other side of town. Again. He was going to have to have a serious talk with the owner of the B&B. Jack came to the cabin for privacy, and to brood away from prying eyes, not to be an information station for people who thought love could be found in doilies and four poster beds covered in chintz. He wondered if he just sat there, if they would eventually get the message and go away.

The knock came again, louder this time. Jack heaved himself out of his chair and stared angrily at the back of the door. Pulling it open with as much irritation as he could put into such a simple act, he growled at the unsuspecting person on the other side. "WHAT?" He blinked twice at the slim blond staring back at him. "Carter?"

Sam shrugged her shoulders. "Surprise," she said weakly.

**TBC**


	4. Surprise

**Disclaimer: Not my characters.**

**A/N: Thanks for the feedback. I'm trying to get this out as quickly as I can, but I'm not sure it will be done in time for Christmas.**

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Jack looked down at the bottle in his hand. He'd thought he'd only had two beers, but clearly he'd miscounted. It would take far more than two to conjure up the vision that now stood at his door. He blinked again, trying to clear the image from his mind, but she still stood there. "Carter? Are you really here?"

"Yes, Sir, and freezing, Sir." She'd thought the mountains of Colorado were cold, but Minnesota seemed to be just wickedly cold.

Jack stepped back, motioning her in to the warmth of his house. Her cheeks were tinged pink from the cold and her big blue eyes sparkled with snow that had stuck to her lashes. "Carter, what are you doing here?" He couldn't understand how the object of his inappropriate musings had suddenly materialized in the flesh.

"We, uh, we came up here to surprise you. For Christmas." Had she imagined the look of joy that came across his face when he saw her?

Jack looked behind her. "Have you brought invisible aliens along, or are you now speaking with the royal 'we?' If you are, I have to tell you it's a bit to Goa'uldish for my tastes."

Sam blushed. Stupid. There was no we at the moment. "No, I mean Daniel and Teal'c. They're coming too, but their flight was delayed, so right now I guess it's just me."

He took the bags and the box from her. The whole team, not just Carter. Okay then. A stab of disappointment went through him. Still, at least he'd have her all to himself until the guys got there. "Well, come on in and warm up." He gestured toward the living room where a fire burned brightly in the fireplace.

"I should probably take all this off first," she said, making Jack's mind go completely blank until she gestured to her slushy shoes and wet coat. For one wild moment he thought she would strip down and he couldn't stop the leap of excitement that raced through him.

While Carter removed her soggy outerwear, Jack carried the stuff to the kitchen, still trying to figure out what power in the universe was so kind as to deliver Sam Carter to his doorstep. "So, what'cha bring?" He couldn't help but wish it was something black and lacey, but that was sadly unlikely.

Carter followed and gave him her mega watt smile. Putting her hand down in the bag she pulled out a few frozen pizzas and laid them on the counter, followed by steaks, potatoes and two six packs of Guinness. Lord how this woman knew the way to his heart, Jack thought. There was also a bottle of wine, cheese, crackers, chips and a huge tub of ice cream. She grinned when she opened the box he'd set on the counter. "And, best of all, cake!"

"Cake? Sweet!" He was about to declare his undying love, for the cake of course, but decided against it, lest she bolt for the door and back to Colorado.

"I don't know what to say, other than thank you. This is a nice surprise." He took the food and put it away before pulling 2 beers out and handing her one.

The living room was surprisingly warm and comfortable and Sam felt her unease melt away like the snow that had landed in her hair. She couldn't believe she'd never been up here before and regretted each turned down invitation over the past few years. Even in the dead of winter she could see why he loved it here. The sun was almost completely behind the horizon, even at this early hour, but the view was still spectacular.

While she was feeling more at ease, she searched around for a topic of conversation. So far they had sat in companionable silence, but it was stretching into weird silence. Seeing the small TV on the opposite side of the room, she seized on it. "I thought you didn't have a TV up here, Sir. Something about getting away for technology."

Jack was glad to have something to talk about. All he'd wanted to do was stare at Carter and smile like an idiot that she was there with him. "Yeah, but a man can't keep up with hockey and curling and the Simpsons with no TV, so I decided, what the hell? Besides, I can actually handle technology; I just don't need to know how it works in minute detail. Was there anything you wanted to watch? I have some movies too."

She shook her head. TV would just intrude on the happiness she felt at being there with the Colonel, even if it was happiness she shouldn't feel. He looked far more relaxed that she could ever recall seeing him. He had a five o'clock shadow that gave him a rugged look and fit perfectly with his surroundings. She'd seen him with five o'clock shadow before, but usually because they were off world and running from Goa'uld, or hiding from angry inhabitants of whatever planet they happened to be on and she never really had a chance to appreciate it. She wondered what it would feel like against her skin.

Jack saw a blush creep over Carter's features and wondered what brought it on. He couldn't believe this gorgeous creature was sitting there, on his sofa, drinking a beer. He wished he'd sat on the sofa with her instead of taking the chair. He wouldn't make that mistake next time. Wherever she sat from now on, he was going to sit next to her. If she sat in the chair, he'd sit on the arm of it. He didn't know how long she was staying, so he planned to make the most of every moment. He looked around for something else to talk about and came up blank. Dammit, he spent the better part of every week with this woman, and the rest of it fantasizing about her, he should be able to hold a simple conversation. They could talk about work or…or something. He could be charming and witty and not a jackass. Maybe. "So, any idea when the guys'll be here?" _Real suave there, Jack_.

Sam shrugged her shoulders. "No. Daniel said their flight was supposed to leave shortly after mine, but then they apparently got snowed in, so probably late." She took a swig of her beer.

"Well, I guess they'll have to fend for themselves when they get here. I'm not making them any dinner. You however, look like you need some sustenance after your trip and foray into the cold north." He stood and headed toward the kitchen. Sam followed and watched as he pulled out pots and pans and moved effortlessly around the kitchen.

"Can I help?" She wanted to be in the small kitchen with him.

Jack gave her an impish grin. "I thought you didn't know how to cook, Carter."

"I never said I didn't know how. Everyone simply assumes I don't and I've never felt the need to correct them." He continued moving around the kitchen and her eyes followed his lithe frame. His jeans hugged him nicely. She had spent many hours watching his six while they were off world and had learned to appreciate every inch of it. A dreamy smile spread across her face. If any of the other women at the SGC took a moment to appreciate Colonel O'Neill's six, they'd be fighting to replace her on SG-1. Of course she'd zat them all. No one would be taking her place.

"Carter? Carter?" Jack's voice cut through her thought and she realized he'd said something to her. Damn his six and its sexiness!

Her eyes whipped up to his and she could swear he knew exactly what she'd been doing. "Sorry, Sir, I was, um, just zoning out. It's been a long day." It would prove to be an even longer night if Daniel and Teal'c didn't show up soon.

"No problem." He smiled knowingly. Oh, yeah, he'd definitely caught exactly where she was staring. "I was just asking if you wanted wine with dinner."

* * *

Dinner having been eaten and cleaned up, they sat entirely too close for Sam's sanity on the sofa drinking wine and watching the fire. They'd chatted about this and that over dinner, but if pressed for specifics she wouldn't be able to think of a single thing they'd said. Her mind was too busy watching his mouth and trying to keep from jumping across the table and wrapping herself around him. God, what was wrong with her? He was her friend. Her CO for goodness sake. Off limits, off limits, off limits! She placed her now empty wine glass on the table and turned to Jack. "It's been a long day, Sir. I think I should hit the sack."

"Yeah, I guess we should go to bed." The minute the words were out of his mouth he realized what he'd said. "Separately. Alone. In our own rooms, I mean." God. "I put your stuff in the guest bedroom and there are fresh towels on the dresser. Daniel will take the sofa and Teal'c will, well, whatever it is he does."

Sam smiled awkwardly. "Thanks, Sir. I'll see you in the morning." She'd see him in her dreams, but he didn't need to know that.

"Yeah, see you in the morning. Sleep tight." Jack watched her retreating form and fought the urge to follow her, toss her on the bed and have his wicked, wicked way with her.


	5. Dreams

**Disclaimer: The usual. Not my characters.**

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews. They make me want to write faster. The story is basically done, it just needs refining. It has not been beta'd, so all mistakes are mine. This is a fluffy chapter. Hope you like it.**

* * *

Jack lay in his bed listening to the sounds of the house. The refrigerator humming, the roof settling with heavy snowfall, Carter shifting on the bed in the room next to his. He flipped over and groaned into his pillow. Being alone with her under his roof was sheer torture. Daniel was so on his list. In fact, right now, Daniel was his list. Jack was just drifting off when he heard soft footfalls and a tap on his door.

"Sir?" Came Carter's soft voice.

He sat up. "Something wrong, Carter?" She was silhouetted by the light filtering down the hall and he could see the curves of her body through the sheer gown she had on. His mouth went very dry.

Carter strode boldly to his bed and leaned over him. "Only the sleeping arrangements." Her voice was husky and he could feel her breath on his ear.

Jack swallowed audibly and started to speak when soft lips met his. He thought about pulling back and asking her what the hell was going on, but his body refused to listen to his brain. His body was so much smarter than his brain. Carter's lips were insistent and he opened his mouth to her, their tongues meeting in a swirl of heat. She tasted like mint and heaven. His hands moved to her shoulders of their own volition when hers to his hair, pulling him closer. She moaned softly as he broke off the kiss and pulled her down on the bed beside him. Her eyes flashed wickedly and she reached for him again, pressing herself firmly against his body. Running a hand up the silky skin of her arm, he touched the slim strap of her gown and slid it to the side. His mouth skimmed across her collarbone and she moaned softly, arching further into him. Sweet heavens she was delicious. He wanted to touch and taste every inch of her. Her fingers trailed up his chest causing him to take in sharp breath. "Carter," he whispered. "What are we doing?"

Jack could feel her smile against his lips. "What we've wanted to do since the day we met. Can you deny it?"

He shook his head and gave a rasping response. He couldn't lie. He wanted her. Taking one of the hands on his chest in his own, he brought it up and nibbled the tips of her fingers softly. She almost purred, sending waves of desire through his body. It was painful in its intensity and all he could think was hard he was and how exquisite it would be to sink into her. Before he had a chance to move, she flipped them, in a move that would make any combat training officer proud, bringing her body over his and straddling him. The soft material of her gown bunched up around her waist and he could feel a lacy undergarment pressed against him. He just knew Carter wore something sexy under her clothes. He'd imagined peeling black lace from her body a thousand time and now feeling it against him made him ache. He reached his right hand up to touch her, but she grabbed it and pushed in above his head, doing the same to his left. She was leaning over him and her breasts were inches from his mouth. Scooting down, which tortured him in ways she simply could not imagine, she brought her face level to his. Their lips were almost touching when he heard her. "Not tonight, Sir. You are not my CO right now and I am in charge of this mission."

"Yes, ma'am," he said just before her mouth descended on his. She sucked on his bottom lip and then kissed her way down his jaw. Each slight movement pressed her further into his hips and he found that breathing was becoming increasingly difficult. He was sure he knew how to breathe, but for some reason, his lungs seemed to be refusing to function. When she released his hands, he wrapped them around her slim hips, praying that she'd not pull away. Shifting his lower body slightly, Jack smiled when she let out a soft moan. Her fingers trailed down his chest and across the flat plain of his stomach. Every muscle in his body tightened at her touch. "Sam," he breathed as her lips followed the path of her fingers. He pulled her back up to him and claimed her mouth. His hands moved back to her hips and lifted the soft fabric of her gown. He pulled it up, breaking off the kiss so he could remove it from her completely. She sat above him, almost completely naked in the moonlight, staring at him with a look of pure lust in her eyes. She was Temptation personified and right now she was his.

* * *

Jack bolted upright in the dark empty room, sweating, his body throbbing with need. _Son of a bitch!_ He wiped a hand down his face and flopped back against the pillows. It was just a dream. Just a dream. A damn fine dream, but a dream nonetheless. It nearly killed him to know that the star of that dream was sleeping not far away. He stared at the wall between the rooms with something like hate. Damn solid wall. Tossing the blankets off he lay there trying to recall every second of the dream, waiting for the morning to come, knowing there would be no sleep again that night.

On the other side of the hated wall Sam spent her own sleepless night tossing and turning and trying to not steal into the Colonels room. She wondered what he wore to bed when they weren't in the field. She knew he wore boxers (that little revelation had come on P2X-441 when he'd decided to take an impromptu dip in a lake and she watched him from the top of the hill), but she was curious if he wore just them, or something over them, or even better, nothing at all. Sleep was a long time coming, but when it did, she drifted off with visions of a very sexy Colonel O'Neill dancing in her head.


	6. Surprises

**Disclaimer: SG-1 characters are not mine. Others are made up.**

**A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews. This was just a little something I thought up to amuse myself and I'm excited to know that others are enjoying it as well.**

* * *

Sam woke the next morning groggy from lack of sleep but with a smile on her face. If Daniel and Teal'c didn't show up soon she'd be in serious trouble. Stretching, she got out of bed and followed the scent of coffee to the kitchen. Colonel O'Neill stood there in a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt and looking better than any man had a right to at 7 am.

He smiled when he saw her. "Good morning, sleepy head."

"Morning, Sir." She took the cup of coffee and inhaled. He knew how she took her coffee. Of course he knew.

Jack thought she looked delightfully mussed. "Sleep okay?"

"Mmmmmhmmm." Coffee was just what she needed. Lots and lots of it. She sat down, pulling her feet up under her.

Jack's gaze followed her motion. Damn, even her ankles were sexy. "No socks, Carter? You'll freeze."

"It's fine, Sir."

"Come on Carter, go get your socks. I don't want to have to deal with frostbite. Again."

Sam sighed. "Yes, Dad." She grumped. She gasped and immediately wanted to call the words back. The look on his face was heartbreaking. "Oh, Sir, I didn't…that didn't come out right. I'm sorry."

He nodded his head and refused to meet her eyes. "It's fine, Carter. Don't worry about it. Besides, I'm pretty much old enough to be your dad."

She stood and walked to stand directly in front of him. "Sir," she said softly. When he still didn't look at her, she placed a hand on his shoulder. The touch made her sway slightly towards him before she caught herself and pulled back. "Sir," she said again. "Look at me." His eyes finally found hers and he smiled sadly. "You are not old enough to be my father. You know that. It was just a dumb joke. I didn't mean it."

Jack wanted to turn his head and place a kiss on the inside of her wrist, but held himself in check. She was so close. "I'm getting old, Sam. I may not be old enough to be your father, still, I'm getting up there." He shrugged. He was too old for her and it killed him inside.

"You are not old, Sir." Her voice was louder this time. She knew she should pull her hand away, but couldn't. She wanted to maintain contact for as long as possible. "You're in better shape than most guys just joining the Air Force. You're still young." He was handsome and funny and sexy and exactly what she wanted, but she couldn't tell him any of that.

He gave a grim chuckle. "Sure, I'm the poster boy for the Air Force. Being all I can be. No, wait, that's the army. Do we have a slogan? " He took a step back and she felt the loss immediately.

"I think it's Aim High."

"Right. I might have heard that somewhere. Now, go get your socks on before I have to call Janet and get her up here to start amputating toes. I'm going to make some breakfast."

Sam went back to her room and slumped back on the bed, berating herself in as many ways as she could come up with. Dad! She'd called him Dad. What the hell was wrong with her? She could deal with alien technology and being fired at while working on said alien technology, but when it came to Jack O'Neill, she was a complete idiot.

By the time she came back, socks on her feet, he had breakfast ready and was dishing it up. He smiled tightly, trying to pretend like nothing was wrong. "So, what should we do today?"

The thought of spending the day with Colonel O'Neill was wildly appealing. She could think of loads of things she'd like to do, but considering she'd just called him dad, and the fact that he was her CO, they were probably not what he had in mind. "I don't know. What is there to do around here except look at the snow?"

Jack was sure he could come up with something, but none of them were appropriate. "Well, since Daniel and Teal'c will be here for Christmas dinner, I guess we need to go into town and buy something to cook. I'm sure they wouldn't mind pizza and beer, but it's not exactly traditional. We should probably by double since Teal'c is coming. After that, well, we could build a snowman, I guess." He placed a plate of eggs and bacon in front of her.

"Sounds like a plan, Sir." She took a bite of eggs.

"Sounds like a plan, _Jack_."

Sam gave him a questioning look. "My name is Jack. We're not at work. We're just friends celebrating the holidays. Call me Jack." She noticed he put a slight emphasis on the word friends. Her heart sank slightly.

"Okay…Jack." That felt weird. She put her fork down and grabbed her phone from the counter. "I should probably check up on the guys and see what time they're due in."

A knock sounded at the door just as the words came out of her mouth. Jack stood. "No need. Sounds like they're here."

Sam wasn't sure if she hid her disappointment. "I'll just go get dressed then."

Jack opened the door, expecting to see Daniel's smiling face and Teal'c looking like he always did around Daniel: mildly amused. "Hey, guys, what took you so long?" The startled face of Dutch Wilkins, the owner of a store in town stared back at him. "Oh, Dutch, hi. What are you doing here?"

"Morning Colonel! I've got a delivery here for you." Dutch poked a thumb over his shoulder at the pick up parked in the snow-covered drive. His son, a pimply faced teen with a big smile, waved at him from the bed of the truck. He was hauling stuff out and Jack had no idea what was going on.

"What kind of delivery?" Jack asked gruffly. He certainly hadn't ordered anything, and to his recollection Dutch didn't deliver, certainly not this far away and on Christmas Eve. Following Dutch over to the truck Jack looked down at the bags and boxes.

"All kinds of things, Colonel!" came the chipper response.

Jack took a box handed down to him and peered inside. Lights, ornaments and garland. _What?_ There were bags full of food, wine and beer, and another that contained several Christmas movies and CD's and a final one that contained what looked like one of the pies he loved so much from Mrs. Krispin's shop in town. "What is all this? I didn't order any of this."

"No, sir, you didn't." Dutch seemed entirely unfazed by Jack's tone. "Friend of yours did. Even paid me a handsome sum to deliver it. Nice little bonus this time of the year." Dutch smiled broadly carrying a box to the porch. "Want me to carry it in?"

Jack thought about Sam somewhere inside. "No, the porch is fine. Can you tell me exactly which _friend_ sent this?" His mind was working overtime. Years in the Air Force had heightened his naturally suspicious nature.

"Yep. A Daniel Jackson. Even had me write down a message for you. Got it right here." Dutch pulled a piece of paper from his jacket and placed it on top of the box Jack was still holding.

_Daniel? _Daniel was supposed to be here in a few hours. Why would he send all this instead of bringing it when he arrived?

Dutch was about to get into his truck but Jack held him up and ran into the cabin. He came back out with a few bills and handed them to Dutch. Dutch looked down at the two fifty dollar bills. "I can't take these, Colonel. Your friend already paid me."

Jack pressed the money back into Dutch's palm. "Consider it gas money. By the way, when exactly did my _friend_ set all this up?"

"Three days ago." Dutch smiled and thanked Jack profusely before hopping in the cab of his truck. He set off back down the drive calling out holiday greetings as he did.

Jack raised a hand waving them off before opening the folded piece of paper in his hand.

_Jack,_

_We won't be there. Enjoy your holiday. Tell Sam we said Merry Christmas._

_Daniel and T _

Jack stared down at the note scrubbing a hand down his face. _Christ on a cracker!_ He wanted to strangle Daniel and hug him all at the same time. Teal'c was not entirely innocent, but he was certain this was all Daniel's idea. It had his little meddling fingerprints all over it.

Jack crumpled the paper, picked up one of the boxes and carried it into the cabin. Sam walked out dressed in jeans and a sweater and looked expectantly behind him. "What's all this? Where are the guys?"

"I don't know." He pushed the door shut with his foot and smiled. He'd considered telling her about Daniel's little deception, but discarded the notion. She'd find out they weren't coming soon enough. "Just gonna be you and me for a while longer it seems."

Sam couldn't keep the look of shock off her face. Holy Hannah.

Jack emptied the boxes and bags while she stood there staring. If she didn't say something soon he was going to explode. He could feel her eyes on him making him self-conscious. Was she upset that they guys weren't there? He hated these feelings of insecurity. He was a decorated war hero and had kicked more Goa'uld ass than anyone else in the galaxy, but she still had the power to make him feel like a brand new lieutenant scared shitless facing the enemy for the first time. He shook his head. _Enough. Enough._ He was a grown man. He could deal with this and hopefully come out with at least some of his dignity in tact. "Carter," he said finally. "Bundle up."

Sam tried to register what he said. Was he kicking her out because the guys weren't coming? "Why, Sir?"

"Jack, 'Why, Jack?' and because," he held up a box of Christmas lights, "we're going to chop down a tree. Can't have Christmas without a tree."

**TBC**


	7. Of Trees and Revelations

**Disclaimer: Not my characters.**

**A/N: Refining as quickly as possible while pumpkin bread bakes filling my house with lovely smells that make me think of Sam and Jack frolicking in the snow (or bed, whichever). This had not been beta'd, so all mistakes are mine.**

* * *

Sitting on the sofa with the lights of the Christmas tree twinkling, Sam felt more relaxed than she thought possible. They'd trekked through the woods, Jack carrying an axe, and looking like every woman's rugged fantasy, until they found they perfect tree. She hadn't had a tree in years. After her mother died, celebrating Christmas meant a few gifts, usually money, and going out for Chinese. The delight she felt at picking out a tree with the Colonel, no, with Jack, made her feel giddy. She thought back to how much more fun it had been than she'd thought when they first set out.

They had walked silently through the thick snow before Sam could speak.

"I thought you weren't fond of trees."

Jack turned back to her and smiled impishly. "I don't like _foreign_ trees. You know, trees on another planet. I like _my _trees."

"Ah, I see. Completely different then."

"Well, I suppose it does look a bit like P4X, um, something, something, something. You know, the planet with all the snow? Not Antarctica. The one with all the tree."

Sam thought for a moment. There had been loads of planets and trying to remember each one was not always easy. "Pathowa?"

"Ah, yes, Pathowa. Friendly people. Lovely planet. If you don't mind freezing your ass off." The walked a bit more before he pointed to a beautiful snow covered tree. "What do you think, Carter? Look good?"

She studied the tree for a moment. It was about six feet high and symmetric, which appealed to her scientific side. She nodded and Jack set about chopping it down. Sam stood back and appreciated the way he moved. Unfortunately, he was done all too quickly and they were dragging it back to the cabin.

"You know, I'm really surprised the Goa'uld don't celebrate Christmas," Jack commented.

She stopped and tilted her head at him. "What? Why?"

"Well, you know, it seems like it would appeal to them. Fancy clothes, ostentatious decorations, gold and silver. Just seems like something they'd appreciate. Apophis would make a great Santa, don't you think?"

Sam burst out laughing at the image of Apophis dressed up as Santa was too much. "Sir," she hiccupped. He gave her a stern look. "Jack. It's cold out here. Please don't make me suck too much cold air into my lungs. I have no desire to have them frozen."

"Ah, not to worry. I'd give you CPR, Carter."

Sam tried really hard not to imagine what that would be like and failed miserably. It just might be worth it.

* * *

The stress of the morning drained away and they were back to being friends and coworkers who knew each other in ways no one else could. After the tree had been decorated, he insisted on baking cookies and then building a snowman. The snowman building morphed into forts where they lobbed snowballs back and forth until they were both soaked and pink cheeked from cold and exertion and finally called a truce. He'd come in the house with much more snow on him than she had, so secretly she thought she'd won. They both changed into dry clothes and drank hot chocolate to warm up. She smiled, reveling in the memory. Dinner had passed in laughter and happy conversation and now they sat, watching Holiday Inn, which Jack assured her was the best Christmas movie ever made. She couldn't argue. It was Bing Crosby at his finest.

True to his word, Jack sat next to Sam on the sofa enjoying Christmas Eve for the first time in years. The day had been good. No, better than good. It had been great. Being with Sam had made the usual sadness that surrounded this holiday melt like the snow on their boots. Since Charlie died, he didn't think he'd ever be able to celebrate Christmas again, but she'd proven him wrong. She brought joy back and he struggled to keep from getting all sappy and telling her. Sitting there now, watching one of his favorite movies, he felt a contentment that reached to his soul. He had he urge to wrap his arm around her and pull her close. _The hell with it_, he thought. _He was going to…_

Sam's cell phone rang startling Jack from action. "Daniel!" Sam said almost breathlessly. Jack's eyes narrowed. She sounded too excited. Surely what he'd seen in the commissary wasn't real, was it? "Where are you guys?" She listened for a moment and turned a startled face to Jack. "What do you mean?" More talking on the other end. "Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh. But what about tomorrow?" Jack had the urge to lean closer to her so he could hear Daniel's responses. Her shoulders drooped. "No, I understand. Tell Teal'c I said Merry Christmas and I'll see you guys in a few days. Okay, yeah. Bye."

Jack knew the answer to the question, but asked anyway. "What's going on?"

Sam gulped. Jack almost laughed. She had actually gulped. "They're not coming. Their flight to Chicago was cancelled due to the snow and there aren't any more flights out. They're going to spend Christmas watching movies and eating fruitcake."

"Teal'c's gonna be sorry," was all he said.

Sam turned to face him. "Sir, isn't this, well, inappropriate?"

"Ja-ack," he drawled out his name. "Remember, I'm Jack for now, and there's not a whole lot we can do about it is there? Unless of course you want to drive to town and find a hotel." And shatter his heart in the process.

She shook her head. "I can't do that, Sir. Jack."

He quirked a grin at her. "Sir Jack. I like it. Now, are we going to finish this movie or what?"

Sam settled back and tried to turn her attention to the TV. Bing Crosby and Virginia Dale were singing a song, but all she could hear was the thumping of her own heart. She knew she shouldn't have flown up her without them. Now she was stuck in Jack's cabin that seemed to get smaller with each passing moment and could do nothing but try not to get drool all over him.

"Sam? Sam?" Jack's voice brought her out of her reverie yet again. "Earth to Sam. Everything okay? Want me to turn the movie off?"

She shook her head. "No, Sir. Jack. I quite like it. Maybe we can put on another one after this." Lord, anything to distract her. She'd even watch hockey or worse, fishing if it kept her mind off the very warm body sitting entirely too close to her. She looked up at the clock. Still only six thirty. There were a lot of hours left to the evening.

She was clearly uncomfortable and that did not make Jack happy. He'd thought she felt…well it didn't matter what he thought. He'd clearly been wrong. She did not want to be here and that was that. He tried not to grimace. "Yeah, sure. Ever watch The Bells of St. Mary?" She shook her head. "Well then, you're in for a treat. Old Bing works his musical magic again. If you don't cry at the end of it, you're dead inside." Like he felt. "I'm thinking of suggesting it as part of a Goa'uld detecting system. Make 'em watch and if they don't cry, Goa'uld."

She looked at him skeptically. "Do _you_ cry at the end of it?"

He gave her a very stern look. "Maybe a little. If you tell anyone, I will kill you. I know how. I've been trained."

* * *

**TBC**

**A/N: If you have never watched Holiday Inn, you are do not know what you're missing. Hubby and I watch it every year on Christmas Eve. It actually covers all the holidays, but begins and ends at the Christmas/New Year holidays. It is the first movie in which White Christmas was ever sung. It is brilliant.**

**On NY Eve, we watch The Bells of St. Mary, and ALWAYS tear up at the end. One year, my very own tough military officer made the comment that if you don't cry at the end of that movie, you are dead inside. It seemed like something Jack might say in a funny and slightly unguarded moment.**


	8. Sharing

**Disclaimer: Not my characters.**

**A/N: This has not been beta'd, so all mistakes are mine. I'm trying to get as much of this up as possible today. Enjoy!**

* * *

Two hours later they both sat on the sofa with shimmer of tears in their eyes. Damn movie, Sam thought. She was emotional enough without a seriously sappy ending making it worse. They'd made their way through a huge bowl of popcorn while they watched and the few times their fingers touched as the reached in the bowl at the same time she was sure she felt a small bolt of electricity run up her arm that made getting zatted feel like a warm breeze.

"Hey, what's this I see?" Jack asked. He brought a finger up and brushed away a small tear that had escaped and was running down her cheek. "Not a Goa'uld."

"Apparently not." She shifted slightly so that he's forced to move his hand away.

"You know, when I was little, I used to love to lay under the tree and stare up at the lights on Christmas Eve. My mother preferred white lights to the colored kind. Kind of reminded me of the stars." Jack isn't sure what made him say that. He just had the sudden urge to show her something of himself that wasn't about being a wise cracking CO.

Sam was momentarily jarred by his words. If there was one truth in her world, it was that Colonel Jack O'Neill did not talk about his past. She wasn't sure how to respond. He took the need away from her and carried on. "The year we got lights that twinkled they had to practically pull me away from the tree. I knew in that moment I wanted to fly." Jack smiled wryly. "Corny, eh?"

"Not at all. It's kind of sweet actually." Sam tried to think of Jack as a boy staring in awe at Christmas lights, pretending they were stars and dreaming of flying among them. It was hard though as Jack seemed to be one of those people who had always been an adult. He wore his life and pain on his shoulders like a cloak and the thought of him as an innocent child had never occurred to her.

"What?" He asked when she chuckled.

"I was just trying to imagine you as a kid. It doesn't seem possible."

He pursed his lips. "I didn't arrive in this world a fully grown jackass, ya know. I arrived a small jackass, with brown hair." He pointed to the silver that crowned his head. He looked at her expectantly. "Well?"

"Well, what?"

He huffed a loud sigh. "Come on Carter, I shared something. Your turn."

She sat for a moment, staring at the fire. What could she share that didn't make her sound pathetic? I joined the Air Force because I wanted to prove to my dad that I was stronger than he was? I used to dress my Barbie's up in homemade space suits and launch them and Major Matt Mason from my back yard in rockets I'd built from kits? No, none of that. It wasn't that is was too personal, it was just too depressing. He was still looking at her expectantly. "I always liked science."

Jack laughed and rolled his eyes. "Really? I had no idea. Come on, Carter," he scooted ever so slightly toward her on the sofa, his voice soft. "Tell me something I don't know."

"I like to fix things because I couldn't fix my family." The words tumbled out before she realized what she'd said. She had never told another person why she did what she did, but it seemed right to say it to him. After he mom died, her family had been forever fractured. He dad had turned to alcohol and she and Mark had turned to anger. At their dad for not being there to pick her mother up; at their mother for not waiting and taking a cab; at each other, simply because. Sam had always liked science, she hadn't lied to Jack there, and suddenly the thought of finding out how things worked and making those that were broken function again, gave her some peace.

Another tear tracked down her face and once again his hand automatically reached up to brush it away. "I'm sorry, Carter. I shouldn't have pried." She turned her big eyes to him and the air seemed to be suddenly sucked out of the room. The flicker of pain that stole across her face was too much for him to bear. Jack didn't mean to do it, but something about the sadness that stole over her face made him need to comfort her. To comfort himself. He reached over and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into his chest. She stiffened at first, but sighed and relaxed into his warm strong body. "SG-1, holiday makers extraordinaire. The Air Force should make some sort of medal for that."

She stifled a giggle. "You'd have multiple stars on that one."

They sat like that for a long while watching the fire burn down to embers. Sam felt right in his arms. Jack had put his arms around her in the past, carried her when he had to, but he'd never just held her for the pure pleasure of it. He wanted to hold her forever. Wanted to tell her everything about his life. Wanted her to absolve him of all his sins with her love.

Sam could hear his heart beating. The sound was hypnotic. She had the urge to burrow into him and never come out. He was everything, but it couldn't last. When it could no longer be avoided, Sam pushed away from him. "It's late," was all she said. It wasn't. Nine o'clock was hardly late, but she knew she had to put some distance between them.

Jack watched her walk away. He briefly wondered how many times he would watch her walk away from him. He finally decided that was a useless train of thought and took himself off to his lonely bed.

**TBC**


	9. Cold and Merry

**Disclaimer: You know the drill. Not my characters.**

**A/N: We made it! Last chapter. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. This has not been beta'd, so all mistakes are mine.**

* * *

He woke up cold. Too cold. It shouldn't be this cold. He reached for the lamp, but it didn't come on. His clock was blank and the house was completely silent. Reaching into the drawer of his bedside table, he pulled out a flashlight and turned it on. Son of a bitch it was cold. He hopped out of bed and quickly pulled sweatpants and a shirt on. His skin prickled with goose bumps. Crap, Carter. Flicking the light into the hall, he opened the door to her room. The beam shined across the darkness and landed on a pile in the middle of the bed. She was completely wrapped in blankets, but he could still hear her teeth chattering. "Carter," he called to her. "You okay?"

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to file a complaint to the owner of this establishment," he heard her mutter. He let out a soft chuckle.

"Come on grumpy. The power's out. I'll build the fire up." He watched her stand, bringing the blankets with her. She kept them wrapped around her as they made their way to the living room. It was a not a large cabin, but he still managed to stub his toe and knock over something that made a definite breaking sound as it hit the ground. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to file a complaint of my own. The service here sucks." Jack cursed himself a hundred times for never getting that generator the owner of the local hardware store had been trying to sell him for ages.

Fifteen minutes later he has a high fire burning that helped take a little of the chill from the air in the immediate vicinity of the hearth. Sam sat a close as she possibly could without burning something. He looked down and saw bare toes peeping out from the tangle of blankets. "Jesus, Carter. Where the hell are your socks?"

"I don't like wearing them to bed. They make it hard to sleep."

"Socks? Come on, Carter. I've seen you wear your boots to bed."

Sam shrugged. "I know, but that doesn't mean I like them. I feel like I can't breathe."

Jack laughed. The absurdity of the conversation made him ridiculously happy. They were back to being them. "You know you breathe through your mouth and nose right? I mean I know you're not a medical doctor, but I'd have thought that big old brain of yours would have figured that out long ago."

He was joking with her and she loved it. "I know it doesn't make any sense. I just feel like they suffocate me. Strange, but there you have it."

"Well, you need them. It's got to be 30 degrees in here." He retrieved the flashlight and went to grab a pair from her bag. He tossed them to her and told her to put them on. "I told you I know CPR."

She pulled them on and had to admit her toes felt infinitely better. She'd told him the truth about the feeling of not being able to breathe. She knew it was entirely ridiculous, but ever since she was a small girl, sleeping with socks on made her feel like she was being starved of oxygen. "Thanks. So what now?"

Jack looked out the window. The snow was whirling, making it almost impossible to see. "Well, it looks like we've got a blizzard on our hands. Only one thing to do in a blizzard: make hot chocolate."

"I hate to point it out to you, Jack, but there's no power and your stove is electric."

She saw Jack grin at her and felt a warmth that had nothing to do with the fire. "Well, lucky for you, I happen to know how to boil water over a fire."

Ten minutes later they sat with steaming cups of chocolate and roasting marshmallows over the flames. "Not a bad holiday, eh Carter? You know, if you don't mind being able to see your own breath."

Sam pulled the gooey marshmallow from her skewer and popped it in her mouth. "We've had worse."

He couldn't argue with that. They'd been off world once a few days before Christmas and thanks to some hostile locals who didn't take a shine to the fact that Jack wouldn't hand Sam over to the leader as a gift, spent the next few days hiding before being able to make it through the 'gate. While it had been a memorable Christmas, it was not one he cared to repeat.

The clock on the mantle chimed midnight. "Merry Christmas, Carter."

She didn't know what made her do it, maybe it was the mistletoe that hung above the fireplace, or maybe just the Christmas spirit, but before she had a chance to think about it, Sam leaned over, wrapping her hand around his neck and pressed her lips to his for the briefest of kisses. "Merry Christmas, Jack."

Jack's eyes flashed with hunger. There was no mistaking it and Sam felt it to her core. "Sam," he whispered. He followed her when she leaned away. "Sam." It wasn't a name, it was a prayer. When her fingers caressed the back of his neck, he knew she'd answered it. His mouth crashed down on hers as he pulled her closer. He no longer felt cold. In fact, he was quite warm, almost to the point of being hot. She moaned against him, and broke the kiss before lowering herself down to the rug looking up at him with luminous eyes. The firelight glowed on her skin. Jack started at her for a moment. Her eyes looked uncertain. Leaning over her, he placed a kiss behind her ear and whispered, "Are you sure about this?"

Sam turned her face toward his. "More sure than I've ever been about anything. I know I shouldn't want you, but I do, and if the Air Force has a problem with it, well, that's just too damn bad. I've given up too much for this planet and I'm tired of it."

Jack leaned his forehead down to press against hers. He felt lighter than he had in years. "There will be consequences."

She put her finger to his mouth. "We'll deal with them after the new year." Sam grinned. "Right now, all I want for Christmas is you."

"Well, who am I to deny a beautiful woman her one Christmas wish?" Jack said before his mouth descended on hers again. It was truly going to be a very, merry Christmas.

* * *

A/N: I really can't sleep with socks because it makes me feel like I'm suffocating. Weird, eh?

Anyway, once again, thanks and I wish you all a very happy holiday season.


End file.
